Leadership change at R&M; Roger Baumann takes over as new CEO as Michel Riva exits

Reichle & De-Massari (R&M), a global leader in infrastructure solutions, has appointed Dr. Roger Baumann as the new Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately.

Baumann succeeds Michel Riva, who is stepping down from the role after over 13 years of service to the company. Riva cited “scaling back professional activities and focusing on board mandates, advisory, and consulting duties” as the reason for his resignation. “The handover took place on June 23, 2025, following a short transitional phase,” the company stated in the official announcement.

Extending his wishes to the outgoing CEO, Martin Reichle, co-owner and board member, said, “Over the past 13 years, Michel Riva has developed our company in a foresighted, goal-oriented manner with great personal commitment. Under his aegis, R&M established itself in the ICT market as an internationally recognized provider of network infrastructures.”

Thomas A. Ernst, Chairman of the Board of Directors, shared that the family-owned company’s business success increased by 60% in the record year of 2022, reaching CHF 298 million under the leadership of the outgoing CEO. In addition, the workforce nearly tripled over the years across key markets, including Switzerland, Germany, and Eastern, Southern, and Western Europe, as well as the Middle East and India.

Ernst said, “Under the leadership of Michel Riva, R&M has further established itself as a global player in the ICT market. Stakeholders were impressed by his focus on internationalization, segment and growth strategy, as well as overall solutions. Together with the management team, Michel Riva has developed R&M from a component manufacturer into a provider of integrated solutions for public networks, data centers, and local area networks. Challenges such as the pandemic were mastered with confidence. Michel Riva and his team were also convincing in their increased orientation toward decarbonization and sustainability.”

Riva commented, “Being CEO of R&M was the best job of my career.”

The new CEO, Baumann—initially appointed as Designated CEO in April 2025—brings over three decades of leadership experience. He most recently served Switzerland-based BUCHI as CEO, and as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Staufen Group. In his previous roles, he worked with the Sonova Group as Managing Director of Hearing Instruments Wholesale Businesses in Germany and Austria, Haag-Streit as CEO, and Siemens Building Technologies as Vice President and Head of Business.

“From this position, he is familiar with infrastructure solutions for building automation, such as those offered by R&M in the LAN division,” the company shared.

Baumann added, “I am impressed by the high level of expertise, the perceptible passion, and the global team spirit of the R&M team.”

“As I step into my new role, my first priority is to listen and learn—engaging with colleagues, customers, and partners—to gain a deep understanding of our business, solutions, and the opportunities and challenges ahead. I’m truly honored to take on this role and look forward to working with the entire R&M team as we shape the future together,” as he shared previously.

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On the academic front, Baumann holds a PhD in Micro-Technology from EFPL (Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology), an executive MBA from University of St. Gallen, an MSc in Computers and Systems Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and a diploma in Electrical Engineering from ETH Zurich. He also holds certifications in executive leadership, board essentials, from University of St. Gallen.